Finally, Whatever Is Lovely…Think About These Things

Maybe you’ve heard the term “guarding your hearts,” but what about guarding your thoughts? Proverbs 4:23 says, “More than anything you guard, protect your mind, for life flows from it.” This has been so true in my life! The things I dwell on and allow to enter my mind become my reality. It is what I strive for whether I like it or not. For that reason, how important it is to intentionally protect and fill one’s mind with thoughts that are honoring and pleasing to the Lord.

I first began to realize this in university.  I made a decision in my freshmen year not to date until I graduated. Well, that was great and all, but it sure didn’t stop me from thinking about guys as if I could date them. I made no effort to guard my thoughts. I still watched the chick flicks, the TV shows, and read the romance novels that all flourished my desires of romantic relationships. I can guarantee you that they did not leave me with a stronger desire to know the Lord. Nor inspire me to become more Christ like. And they sure didn’t leave me in awe of the Creator.

 It was my older sister who challenged me with this verse:

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.” ~ Philippians 4:8

  I could clearly see that I was not living out this verse. I had made a decision not to date in order to seek the Lord and grow in my relationship with Him; however I lacked intentionality in creating space in my mind to do so. As I began to replace the time I spent on various media and daydreaming with more Scripture and constructive activities, it became much more natural to dwell on things of the Lord.

 This is why I want to challenge you to begin filling your mind with pure things, noble things, and lovely things!

 Here are some areas where you can start:

• Dwell on the Love of the Lord: make a list of ways you recall experiencing the Lord’s love or seeing it in the lives of others.
• Dwell on the Beauty of God: what in creation attracts you to the Lord?
• Memorize one of these scriptures to remind you to keep a pure mind:
  

o   Proverbs 4:23
o   Galatians 5:1
o   Colossians 3:2-3
o   Psalm 101:3
o   Romans 12:2
o   Philippians 4:8

• Think about the Lord’s awesome power
• Write an encouraging letter to a friend
• Work on a skill/gift the Lord has given you (paint, play an instrument, play a sport, write)
  

Let us invite the Lord of Love into our minds – Come, Lord Jesus, may You reign in my mind. May You clean out of my mind all that distracts me from You and Your love, and may You fill my mind with wisdom, truth, and goodness. Amen.

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Clara Schwartz is a graduate from Grand Valley State University, where she studied accounting.  Currently, she serves as a women’s mission leader at University Christian Outreach in East Lansing, Michigan USA. Clara finds joy in going on walks, reading, budgeting, playing ultimate frisbee, and jamming on the djembe.

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This article first appeared in The Lovely Commission, a publishing venture and brand of Kairos North America. It is is run by Molly Kilpatrick and Mary Rose Jordan and a team of contributors from various Christian communities in North America and beyond. Together they are working to build a culture of radical love, femininity, modesty of heart, mind, and body amongst young women.

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